The present invention relates to reliability and vulnerability modeling, and in particular to reliability and vulnerability modeling of networked transmission systems.
A variety of physical networks can be modeled in terms of their components and the interrelationships between these components. For example, power grid infrastructures, communication network topologies, and water distribution systems can each be modeled with a graphical topology of nodes and edges. In these graph models, each node represents certain network components. For example, the nodes might represent an electrical generator, a local area network, or a pumping station. Edges extending between the nodes might represent the transmission of power, data, services, or resources moving between two or more nodes in the graphical topology.
Graph models of this nature are increasingly utilized in vulnerability and reliability studies. Vulnerability and reliability studies can reveal potential network vulnerabilities to natural disasters, human error, and adversarial behavior. In addition, these studies can provide a probability of network failure, as well as potential network modifications for reducing a probability of network failure.
Despite these advantages, existing graph models suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, existing graph models can fail to identify network components that might impact overall network performance in a meaningful way. As a result, vulnerability and reliability studies that rely on existing graph models present an incomplete risk picture. Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved network and method for graph modeling. In particular, there remains a need for an improved system and method for accurate modeling of networked transmission systems.